Change Management, Knowledge Dynamics and Normative Influences in Enterprise Technology Implementation: An Empirical Study

Abstract

The sufficiency of the work environment in providing knowledge support and influencing user perceptions can impact enterprise technology implementation. This article examines the dialectics of change management techniques such as training and user involvement in system design with user task structure in impacting implementation success. Drawing upon the social information processing theory and by adopting a social networking perspective, it also examines the influence of knowledge networks in facilitating technology-related knowledge acquisition while taking into account the domain expertise of knowledge sources and the quality of resulting knowledge flows. The role of influence networks in channelling normative influences is also explored. Analysis of data collected from users of a newly implemented enterprise resource planning system indicates that training and user involvement in system design had a nuanced impact on implementation success, with training benefiting users performing routine, structured tasks while involvement in system design supported those performing ad hoc, unstructured tasks. Centrality positions in the knowledge and influence networks positively impacted implementation success. The results point to the need for restructuring change management programmes to suit the implementation environment, crafting 'designer' social networks that facilitate knowledge acquisition, and the inclusion of domain expertise of knowledge sources while assessing knowledge centralities.